What I actually used out of my hospital bags for giving birth

It’s taken me ages to sit down and write this post about what I used out of my hospital bags for giving birth. I’m hoping I can actually write it all in one sitting but Leo is laid next to me, he was napping and has just opened his eyes. I’m praying he closes them again and goes back to sleep. Please, please.

So, before I gave birth I wrote two blog posts about what I packed in my hospital bags for the labour ward:

• What I took to the hospital – Baby Edition
• What I took to the hospital – Mum Edition

Now it’s over two months after giving birth and I thought it would be useful to write about what I actually used.

Baby Hospital Bag for Labour.

• nappies – used
• water wipes – used
• nappy cream – didn’t use 
• cotton pads (gifted from organic) didn’t use
• a baby brush/comb – didn’t use 
• baby nail clippers – didn’t use 
• baby ready to drink milk – didn’t use 
• 1 muslin cloth – didn’t use 
• 1 bib – didn’t use 
• 3 outfits for in the hospital – used two
• 1 coming home outfit – didn’t use 
• a blanket for the hospital used
• knitted giraffe – used 
• car seat – used
• coming home blanket – used

I went into hospital at 3 am on Thursday morning, gave birth at 1:48 pm and left about 5 pm Friday. As you could see, I didn’t use a lot of the stuff. I wouldn’t take the clippers, milk or bib if I was to have another baby but would take the rest of the things because you don’t know if you need them if you are staying longer!

I didn’t use the coming home outfit because I was in a lot of pain and just wanted to get home quickly, bending over the bed to change him hurt a lot! All you need is a baby grow, vest and blanket so I wouldn’t bother taking actual clothes in my hospital bag next time.

Mum Hospital Bag for Labour

• labour gown (hung on the door) – used
• a nightie with access to boobs – used
• a set of pyjamas with a black nursing top – didn’t use
• thin dressing gown – didn’t use
• old slippers. – used
• maxi dress for coming home – used
• tena lady pants – didn’t use
• maternity pants – one packet of 20 – used
• 6 pairs of big black knickers – used
• black socks – used 
• thick/bed socks – didn’t use 
• 2 maternity bras – used one coming home
• t-shirt and underwear for partner – used top
• toothbrushes/toothpaste – used
• shower gel – used
• shampoo and conditioner – didn’t use
• moisturiser – used
• hairbrush and hair ties – used
• towel – used
• lip balm – didn’t use
• hand cream – didn’t use
• eye mask – didn’t use
• peri bottle – didn’t use
• phone charger – used
• earphones – didn’t use
• reusable nursing pads – didn’t use
• nipple cream – didn’t use
• paracetamol – didn’t use
• cooling blanket – used
• mini fan – used
• cooling spray – didn’t use
• Lucozade sports – used
• snacks – crisps, sweets, chocolate, cereal bars, flapjack and protein bars! – used

So one thing I really underestimated is the amount of pain I would be in. So some of the things I didn’t use simply because I couldn’t get out of bed to get to them, the key to packing a hospital bag is to keep it simple and aim for ease of use!

I gave birth in the labour gown as planned. The mini fan and the cooling blanket was an absolute lifesaver as it was so hot in the delivery room! The mini fan was great as it lasted for ages and clipped on the bed tray at the bottom of the bed. I also took a water bottle with a straw which was also a lifesaver as it meant my partner could keep passing me it when I needed a drink. I drank a Lucozade sport and ate flapjack during the labour (and threw it back up).

(well the baby almost went back to sleep and is crying now so I guess I’ll come back later…)

….

It’s two days later now and I don’t remember what I was saying.

Oh right, I was at the part where I was throwing up. My favourite part.

Well, after giving birth I could not move so the midwife gave me a bed bath and she went into my bag to my grey nightie that was suitable for nursing and body wash. After that, they gave me a bowl of water and my toothbrush and toothpaste so I could clean my teeth.

I was moved onto the ward the morning after and still wasn’t able to move so couldn’t get anything. I was eventually allowed to try and stand and sit on the chair. I then got to my bag and used the face wash and moisturiser to try and freshen up, I also used my hairbrush to brush my hair. After a while, I was able to slowly walk to the bathroom and attempt my first wee, then put on a maternity pad and some knickers.

The only other thing I used was my phone charger and my maxi dress, socks and nursing bra as I was going home.

I did use the peri bottle at home to keep myself clean, I used it in the evenings (had a shower in the morning) to have a clean of my stitches. I didn’t want to do it too much as I was conscious of irritating it.

I think the key thing is to make sure you know where everything is in your hospital bag so you can easily describe to others when they are getting things for you as both my partner and midwives were in and out of my bag.

Go through what is in the labour bag and where it all is with your birth partner. My partner unpacked and repacked my hospital bags so he knew where everything was.

If you want to take more than you need, that’s always better than not taking enough! Just keep the most important things to the top for ease of access and if your birthing partner is able to come to the ward with you, get them to set things out for you in a place that’s easy for you to grab because giving birth is painful and you have to use all your energy on looking after your baby which is hard enough!